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EQIP Program in Lavaca County

The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) offers cost share assistance to agricultural producers to implement on-farm conservation practices.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) determines eligible producers for the EQIP program and determines eligible land.  Eligible producers may apply for cost share assistance on conservation practices that will address the identified resource concern identified by the Local Work Group (LWG).

Lavaca County Office Information

Interested agricultural producers may apply in person at the Lavaca County USDA Service Center. Applicants may also request EQIP assistance by telephone, Fax, e-mail, or letter.

State Resource Concerns Priority Areas that include part of Lavaca County:

Specific State Concern State Resource Concern
AFO-CAFO -Poultry  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Swine  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO-Beef  Water Quality/Air Quality
AFO-CAFO -Dairy  Water Quality/Air Quality
Salt Cedar Invasive Species
South Central Texas Water Quality
Texas Coastal Irrigation Water Quantity/Irrigation
Southern Texas Bobwhite Quail/Attwater's Prairie Chicken Wildlife
Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher All

Objective:

To improve the overall environmental quality of Lavaca County by improving water capture, less contamination of runoff, reduced erosion, improved plant health and vigor, and more wildlife diversity.

County EQIP Resource Concern:

The Resource concerns for Lavaca County are prioritized as Water Quality as Primary with a secondary concern for wildlife. Funds for EQIP will prioritized to practices that improve water quality primarily while maintaining or improving wildlife habitat.

Priority for Funding:

Lavaca County
Application Priority Screening
EQIP – FY 2007

Complete one ranking per application. This questionnaire will be used to aid in prioritizing applicants according to priorities set by the Program Development Group and the Local Work Group of Lavaca County. NRCS personnel will answer questions at the office or can be called at 361-798-3277 ext 3.

Eligibility

Eligible Ineligible

Is land currently classified Agricultural Land with ag commodity produced? Yes No_____

Is the landowner willing to maintain practices for the lifespan of the practices Yes No_____

Are you considered an agriculture producer? See self certification Yes No_____

Prescribed Grazing will be implemented ( If Grazed)
Soil testing will be used for fertilizer application(s)
Applicant will address all resource needs in plan (RMS), and will implement a minimum of three practices in contract; or meet all RMS requirements when contract is complete (if less than three are required). 
High

Prescribed Grazing will be implemented (If Grazed)
Soil testing will be used for fertilizer application
Applicant does not wish to address all resource needs, but wishes to take a progressive approach for environmental improvement.
Medium

Applicant wishes to install practice(s) that will have environmental benefit(s) other than water quality.
Low

Others  - Not Eligible

Processing Procedure

Once the application is screened and identified to be in a specific category, the applications in the highest category will be evaluated and ranked.

If there are more funds available than needed for the applications in the highest category, applications in the second highest category will be evaluated and ranked, and so on, until all funds are allocated.

Applications in any lower category (ies) not evaluated or ranked will be deferred into the next application funding window.

Eligible Practices and Cost Share Rates:

Cost Share Rates

Limited Resources Farmers/Ranchers - 90 percent
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - 50 percent

Lavaca County Base Fund Program
Approved
Practice and Components
EQIP - FY 2007
Component Name Unit Type Cost Share Rate Cost-Share Type
Brush Management (314)      
Rootplow – Heavy (Doze, Rootplow, Rake) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Rootplow – Normal (Rootplow, Rake) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Treedoze (Grubbing) – Heavy Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Treedoze (Grubbing) – Normal Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Individual Plant Treatment (125 – 300 plants) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Broadcast brush chemical application Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Aerial chemical application Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Critical Area Treatment      
Critical Area Shaping-Light (< 4 ft) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Critical Area Shaping-Medium (4.1-8 ft) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Critical Area Shaping-Heavy (8.1-20ft) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Critical Area Shaping-Extra Heavy (>20ft) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Critical Area Planting      
Improved Bermuda Tops/Sprigs Dbl Rate      
(Seedbed prep, tops, sprigs, sprigging operation, nutrient mgmt, pest mgmt) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Seeded Grasses Dbl Rate      
(Seedbed prep, seeding operation, seed cost, nutrient mgmt, pest mgmt) Ac./AC 50 percent AC
Earth moving- Diversions, Ponds      
Dirt moving normal cu yd/AM 50 percent AC
(4000 cu. yd. limit for livestock water ponds)      
Fencing      
Barbwire 4 strand ft/AC 50 percent AC
Electric Fence ft/AC 50 percent AC
Grade Stabilization Structure      
Dirt moving normal cuyd/AC 50 percent AC
Pipe material & installation <=21" unit/AC 50 percent AC
Pipe material & installation >=21" unit/AC 50 percent AC
GSS-Toe Wall      
Incentives      
Nutrient Management  2YRCS/1YRNCS/1YRCS ac./FR 100 percent FR
Prescribed Grazing  2YRCS/1YRNCS/1YRCS ac./FR 100 percent FR
Livestock Pipeline      
PVC Pipe1”installed ft/AC 50 percent AC
PVC Pipe 1 1/4” installed ft/AC 50 percent AC
Pasture Planting (512)      
Improved Bermuda Tops/Sprigs      
(Seedbed prep, tops, sprigs, sprigging operation, nutrient mgmt, pest mgmt) Ac. 50 percent AC
Seeded Grasses      
(Seedbed prep, seeding operation, seed cost, nutrient mgmt, pest mgmt) Ac. 50 percent AC
Prescribed Burning (338) & (391)      
Installation of Firebreaks and Implementation ac 50 percent AC
Range Planting (550)      
(Seedbed prep, seeding operation, native seed) Ac. 50 percent AC
Water storage Facility      
2x15 concrete rd, steel reinforced each 50 percent AC
2x20 concrete rd, steel reinforced each 50 percent AC
Fiberglass Storage 3000-4599 each 50 percent AC
Fiberglass Storage 4600-6000 each 50 percent AC
Concrete water trough 400-500 gallons each 50 percent AC
Concrete water trough 501-750Gallons each 50 percent AC
 Concrete water trough 751-1000 each 50 percent AC
Well      
Drilling, casing ft 50 percent AC


  • County Base funding Cost-share rate for Limited Resource Farmer/Rancher has been set 90 percent.

    Ranking Criteria:

    Lavaca County
    County Base Fund-EQIP
    Ranking Criteria – Water Quality
    with considerations for Wildlife
    EQIP – FY 2007
    1. Do you have a “wet area,” stream, river, or other water course delineated by a blue line on a USGS topographic map that Prescribed grazing (if grazed) and/or Nutrient management (if applied) will be implemented under the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    2. If you do not have a delineation listed above do wish to incorporate Prescribed grazing (if grazed) and/or Nutrient management (if applied) under the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    3. Is visible erosion present that is need of mechanical shaping and/or need of a flow control structure to be completed in the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    4. Are you willing to fence water courses or wet areas to better manage riparian areas to improve water and plant diversity?

      Yes No ______

    5. Do you wish to plant cropland or abandoned cropland that has not been established to a permanent cover?

      Yes No ______

    6. Do you desire to plant Native grass filter or buffer strips along water areas mentioned in question 1 as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    7. Do you wish to only incorporate Prescribed grazing on land that is grazed and fertilized?

      Yes No ______

    8. Do you wish to only incorporate only Nutrient Management on land that is grazed and fertilized?

      Yes No ______

    9. Is there a need for cross fencing to aid in grazing management as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    10. Do you wish to incorporate a prescribe burning as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    11. Are fences needed to protect critical areas that are to br treated or protected under the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    12. Is there a need for water development to aid in grazing distribution as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    13. Do you wish to implement primary brush control by chemical means as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    14. Do you wish to implement primary brush control by mechanical means as part of the EQIP contract?

      Yes No ______

    15. Will a forb component consisting of ≥10 percent of planting area or mix will be incorporated in a native planting that is part of the EQIP contract ?

      Yes No ______

    16. Will a brush work that is part of the EQIP contract be done so that wildlife travel patterns, shelter, and cover will be considered?

      Yes No ______


    These are the practices that I will apply to under the EQIP Program.

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